Stucco News

Question and answers on Stucco and Plastering-- February,
2014

Making
color samples for stucco

My husband and I are planning to have
our house restucco'd and we are having a hard
time deciding on what color to choose from
LaHabra. We've looked all over the
internet to find samples of homes with the
LaHabra colors we are interested in and your
website is the only thing we've found that has
been helpful. I was hoping you would
take a moment to answer my question and give
me your professional opinion. We are
considering either Blue Grey or Clay. We
are wondering if the colors (especially the
Blue Grey) actually go on darker than what is
on the sample sheet? We are going to
have a light lace finish. By the way, we
are in California.

Hi Tracy

Here's what I do:

Call Expo stucco in San Diego 858-566-3110 and talk to
the
color lab. Usually Maurice will answer.
Find out the Expo cross reference for the La Habra
color.

Expo will send you a small sample for free
if you want, or else you can order a color
pack from West Side building materials
next door. Color can't be purchased from
Expo, only a distributor.
Bear in mind the little sample may vary from
real life.

There may be a West Side closer to you.
One color pack will make a whole bag of stucco base.
It is a good idea not to make up a whole bag, but
measure out
half a bag and half a color pack, for example, to try a
different
intensity (more or less color.)

I put the sample mortar on a block (CMU)
because it is about equally porous as a stucco basecoat
and should give you the same results as a real stucco
basecoat.

Since you have plenty, you can put the sample mortar on
several
blocks and stack them up, or carry a block over and put
it against the
house.

Another method is to use a Sherwin Williams color fan,
or else Duron or Benjamin Moore.
You can call Expo and the will cross reference the paint
color number
with a stucco color.

As a warning, you may want to stick to lighter colors
(less intensity).

Also, bear in mind that the sample color pack may vary a
little from the paint
fan, and the sample you put on the wall will be a little
off.

Real stucco colors are a little unforgiving that way.

A lace texture or a Spanish texture
will shadow a little bit, which may darken (more
intensity) your color.

You may have an Expo distributor close to you.

I have Expo color UPS'ed to Virginia.

I almost always do all this before we put on a color.

My sample method is a little different, because we make
our own base,
if you saw my you tube video:
http://www.stucconews.net/vid/

My recipe is one bag of white portland, on fourth a bag
of
lime, and 2 100 pound bags of white sand.
I add three color packs to this mix.
Since one batch makes six buckets of dry material,
I mix one bucket to a half a color pack.
This saves me from making a whole batch for a sample.